GOP Rep: ‘Never Thought’ I’d See A US President Manipulated By Russian Intel

Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), a former CIA agent, took to CNN to express his disbelief at President Donald Trump’s comments during the joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

“Having spent almost a decade as an undercover officer in the CIA, having spent my time here in Congress working with our allies across the world who have to face the Russian menace—I’ve seen Russian intelligence manipulate many people in my career, and I never thought the US President would be one of them,” Hurd told CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“So it’s disappointing. Also that press conference showed why Vladimir Putin is so formidable when it comes to disinformation, because I actually believe that press conference was disinformation. It was very clear what their attempts were to undergird our democratic institutions.”

Hurd also praised NATO, saying that it had allowed for “70 years of peace and prosperity in Europe” which boosted American trade and checked Russia’s expansion of power.

He concluded by voicing the disapproval with Trump’s comments that many of his colleagues, from both sides of the aisle, have expressed in the past few hours.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t see the tough talk needed to deal with a thug like Vladimir Putin,” he said.

Hurd has broken with the President before on issues like the border wall, and is facing a competitive reelection race in 2018.